Island



(No Model.)

VAN A. THOMAS. DETACHABLE STEP FOR POLES.

Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

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DETACHABLE STEP FOR POLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N6. 480,977, dated August16, 1892. Application filed November 9, 1891- Serial I10. 411,820. (Nomodel.)

E0 0055 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VAN A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DetachableSteps for Poles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In United States Patent No. 4E59,84c4,granted to me September 22, 1891,I have described and claimed a novel detachable stop for poles. In thatpatent the removable step or bracket is held and supported by twovertically-arranged sockets formed on the face of the fixed plate orbase, into which sockets the bracket interlocks when in use.

My present improvement relates to the same class of invention. Itspeculiarity resides in the novel manner of constructing the plate andbracket, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the appended drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a Wooden polecarrying electric wires, and further provided with a series of fixedsteps and two detachable lower steps or brackets embodying my laterimprovements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, in partial section,showing the step interlocked with the plate as in use. Fig. 3 is a frontview of the permanent plate adapted to be rigidly secured to the pole.Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the step in reduced scale, showing aslightly-modified form. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the same, in partialhorizontal section, taken on line mm of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a similar sideelevation. Fig. 7 is a' front view of the plate, the step beingsectionally represented and taken on line a a of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is aplan view of the step detached.

The device may be described as follows:

In the several figures, 1) indicates the base or plate portion anda thestep or bracket portion, the device as a whole being indicated by A. Theplate I) (see Figs. 2 and 3) is provided with one socket only, which ispractically inverted, the same being located at or near the top andprojecting from the front, as at c. It will be seen that the walls ofthe upper side of the socket are closed, thereby preventing the entranceof foreign matter. Extending across-the inner face of the socket at themouth or opening d is formed the semicircular or well -roundedprojection c, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The removable step or bracket0. is provided at its inner end with the upwardly-bent hook it, thelatter being adapted to be passed through said opening d and rest uponthe projection c of the base. The lower portion of the corresponding endof the bracket is extended downwardly to form the flange a which in usebears against the base I), the latter acting as a fulcrum therefor, asshown in said Fig. 2. The side ribs 0 of the base serve not only tostrengthen the socket-walls, but also serve to guide and steady the steplaterally.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the base and bracket are made substantially as justdescribedthat is, there is but one socket or support for the bracket a,the same being located at the top and provided with a cover or shieldcand side ribs 0 to protect the socket opening or chamber containing theseat for the lateral projecting lugs a of the step.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 the construction and arrangement of the parts aresubstantially like the foregoing, a single protected upper socket beingemployed to receive and hold the bracket a. A portion of one side of thesocket is removed, as at 19', Fig. 7, in order to freely admit thecorresponding end of the bracket.

In practical use the major portion of the pole 1), Fig. 1, may beprovided with a series of permanent steps 5, the lower portion havingsecured thereto, say, two plates or bases b, these being rigidlyattached to the poles by means of screws m. (See Fig. 2.) In ascendingthe pole thus provided with plates 1) the lineman or lamp-trimmer orother authorized person first takes from his pocket two brackets orsteps a and readily inserts them into the respective sockets or seatsformed in the permanent plates. He next ascends the pole,

and after performing the work required descends to the ground, thenremoves the two steps from the plates, and returns them to his pocket.

It will be seen that when in use my improved step is supported solely bymeans of the end hook or proj ection restinglooselyupon acorrespondingly-shaped seat formed in the protected socket-chamberlocated in the upperportion of the base-plate b, the lower portion ofthe corresponding end of the step extending downwardly in the form of aflange, which bears against the base I), as before described.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the base-plate arrangedto be permanently secured to a pole provided with a single socketlocated at the upper portion of the base-plate and having side ribs, as0 extending downwardly therefrom, and the detachable step or bracket at,having an end thereof arranged to enter and interlock with said socket,the side ribs 0 at the same time serving as a lateral guide for thestep, substantially as described.

2. Thedetachable pole-step, substantially as hereinbefore described, thesame consisting of the base 5, having a protected top socket, the frontor outer wall of which is pro vided With an in wardly-extendingprojection, as o, and the detachable step or bracket a, having an endthereof provided with an upwardly-bent hook h, arranged to enter thebase-socket and rest upon and be supported by the said projection c.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

VAN A. THOMAS.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES HANNIGAN, GEO. H. REMINGTON.

